automount Command

This command installs autofs mount points and associates the information
in the automaster files with each mount point. The syntax of the command is
as follows:

automount[-tduration][-v]

-tduration sets the time,
in seconds, that a file system is to remain mounted, and -v selects
the verbose mode. Running this command in the verbose mode allows for easier
troubleshooting.

If not specifically set, the value for duration is set to 5 minutes.
In most circumstances, this value is good. However, on systems that have many
automounted file systems, you might need to increase the duration value. In
particular, if a server has many users active, checking the automounted file
systems every 5 minutes can be inefficient. Checking the autofs file systems
every 1800 seconds, which is 30 minutes, could be more optimal. By not unmounting
the file systems every 5 minutes, /etc/mnttab can become
large. To reduce the output when df checks each entry in /etc/mnttab, you can filter the output from df by
using the -F option (see the df(1M) man page) or by using egrep.

You should consider that adjusting the duration also changes how quickly
changes to the automounter maps are reflected. Changes cannot be seen until
the file system is unmounted. Refer to Modifying the Maps for instructions on how to modify automounter maps.